Did You Stand Too Close To the Fire

[shadearchivist]

Who: Ienzo, Even, and Aeleus
What: Chatting about that whole murder party that was CO.
Where: Apartment above Tea Shop, 4th District, Traverse Town
When: Afternoon
Warnings: Mentions of immolation and other plot-related things. Probably mental breakdowns because immolation, etc.



Ienzo wasn't sure exactly why laying out tea made this feel as if it wouldn't be quite as difficult a discussion as it might be. There wasn't actually any sort of real virtue in doing so, other than giving his hands something to do as his mind wandered. He wasn't entirely sure that Even would be up for a true discussion of this; his death had been particularly traumatic for him.

Still, what he wanted were answers, and Aeleus had some of them. Maybe making sense of what had happened would make it less difficult to think about in the long run. And that was why he was standing by a table with all of the tea things and some pastries on it and waiting for a difficult discussion to begin.

Comments

[earthshatter]

"I didn't ask," Aeleus admitted with a shrug. "However I expect Xemnas' reaction would have largely depended on how Axel explained the various deaths. If they were 'unavoidable' or otherwise out of his hands, than they may well have been nothing that Xemnas cared about."

Or at least, not enough to see to it that the deaths were answered for. There had been more than one person in the castle who'd been willing to eliminate for entirely normal reasons, and Aeleus didn't trust that Axel enough to assume that he wouldn't have made use of such a resource.

"But yes. I hit him."

[shadearchivist]

Ienzo contemplated this for a few moments. If Xemnas couldn't be bothered with seeking any sort of reparations for losing them, then surplus was exactly what they'd been. And fools. Still, Axel had gone out of his way to see to their deaths as well. "If it wouldn't trouble you greatly, please hit him for me, the next time you see him. I would do it myself, but I think you're more effective in that regard, Aeleus."

[defrostedpride]

"If you're taking requests..." Even had no intention of getting close enough to Lea to do any hitting on his own account (in sight was too close for comfort), but Aeleus was far better at the whole reciprocal-violence thing anyway. And he hit much harder.

[earthshatter]

Blind fools, if the events of Castle Oblivion had been any indication. Were he more inclined to deal on such matters, he might have been thought to wonder when they'd become dead weight to Xemnas' plans in the first place, but that was less than relevant to the topic at hand.

"I can't keep taking them, if that's what you meant. Lea is still a potential ally in this, despite what he's done already."

[shadearchivist]

"I suppose the right thing to do would be to let it go," Ienzo said. "Riku managed to." Sora's doing so wasn't a surprise, but Riku's forbearance was notable, he thought.

[defrostedpride]

"An ally? Him?! Oh, yes, by all means let it go. I'll just turn my back, shall I, so he can stab me in it again!"

[earthshatter]

"I have informed him that any attempts of that nature will result in him having to deal with me," Aeleus countered. "I would hope that he'd have the sense to not provoke an encounter."

And that Even wouldn't provoke Lea into one, but that was a different problem entirely.

[shadearchivist]

"Much as I don't care for Lea, there's no good reason to make an enemy of someone so well positioned to disrupt our lives when we return home. Surely well all have more sense than that," Ienzo added.

[defrostedpride]

Even's eye twitched somewhat distressingly, but he subsided - sulkily, to be sure. "I trust you realize," he said by way of parting shot, "that you're basing your assumptions on the sense of someone who tried to break into other people's storage rooms for fun."

[earthshatter]

"I am aware of what he used to get up to," Aeleus answered. "However I would hope that he is less inclined to engage in such antics now."

Still, assuming that Lea did manage to break into Even's storage rooms, he wouldn't have too much of a problem with Even taking measures, assuming they weren't too drastic.

[shadearchivist]

"I don't see why he bothered, I admit," Ienzo said. "It wasn't as if there was anything of particular interest in your storage rooms." He wasn't certain why he said it. It would just cause another flare up, but it was tiring to hear Even complain about Lea when there was no reasonably expected benefit in doing so.

[defrostedpride]

"That was and remains not the point, as you know perfectly well, Ienzo! The point is I don't trust him, and I see no reason to trust him and several good reasons not to!" He was firmly of the opinion that he was being perfectly rational.

[earthshatter]

"I wouldn't ask for you to trust him," Aeleus answered, even as he gave Ienzo a look that suggested he didn't entirely approve of his latest addition to the conversation.

"However, continued hostilities may not be to our benefit."

[shadearchivist]

Ienzo subsided, looking completely unchastened. "Quite. I would rather not have to worry about Lea's taking against us because of our coldness to him."

[defrostedpride]

"So, what, you think I should be warm and welcoming? To him?" His expression said what he thought of that. Personal disgust aside, it would be the farthest thing from convincing: Even had never been friendly to anyone.

[earthshatter]

"No," Aeleus answered. At best, that would simply serve to drive Lea away, which was only an acceptable outcome in that it was unlikely to result in any unfortunate aggression.

"I simply ask that we tolerate his continued presence."

[shadearchivist]

"As long as we don't have to be around him most of the time, I don't see why it would be a problem," Ienzo said. "You tend to be head down in your work anyway, Even; it shouldn't change your habits."

[defrostedpride]

Even hated when they came over all reasonable just when he was building up steam.

"It doesn't strike me that we have much of a choice regarding his presence. As for tolerating him..." Privately, he wasn't sure he could face Lea in combat if he wanted to: he was -- more capable, at least, of handling allies' fire magic, most of the time, but Lea was his own category. And that turned against him... Not for the first time, Even regretted having a heart again. It was occasionally counterproductive in the extreme.

"Very well. I'm hardly going to seek him out."